An upper for a sports shoe may include a component such as a vamp or a rear portion. The shoe component may include a UV curable microlattice structure with a plurality of regions such that each region has a different density. In some cases, the microlattice structure may include a high density microlattice structure, a mid-level density microlattice structure, and a non-structural region with a low density microlattice structure.

A composite backer board for wet space construction is disclosed, along with a method of producing the backer board. The board includes a rigid foam core of a suitable thickness for wet space construction. A first fabric layer is fixed to at least one face of the rigid foam core with a polymeric adhesive. A first polymer layer is on the first fabric layer in which the polymer layer is dimensionally stable parallel to the face of the rigid foam core. A second fabric layer is on the first polymer layer opposite the first fabric layer and forms a first face that is amenable to thin set mortar and related compositions in wet space construction.

Embodiments relate generally to systems and methods for providing protection from arc flash. A material for arc flash protection may comprise a first layer of textile material configured to face an arc flash, the first layer comprising a woven or knitted fabric; and a second layer of textile material configured to face a user's skin, the second layer comprising a quilted fabric having at least one oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber. A method of forming a material for protection from arc flash may comprise providing a first layer of textile material configured to face an arc flash, the first layer comprising a woven or knitted fabric; quilting one or more layers of material to form a second layer of textile material configured to face a user's skin, the second layer comprising at least one oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber; and attaching the first layer to the second layer to form a completed textile.

Aspects of this disclosure can be used to implement a braided cover comprising a plurality of left handed fibers and a plurality of right-handed fibers braided into a hollow tube of fabric. Such a braided cover may be adapted to form a plurality of annular ridges and annular valleys along the longitudinal length of the braided cover when compressed from an extended length to a compressed length.

Multi-layer composite material, production and use thereof A multilayered composite material comprises as components: (A) a sheet material, (B) a material capable of absorbing water or aqueous fluids, (C) at least one bonding layer and (D) a polyurethane layer with capillaries passing through the entire thickness of the polyurethane layer,
wherein the polyurethane layer (D) comes into direct contact with sheet material (A) or absorption-capable material (B) in one or more places.

There is disclosed a multi-layer insulation material, comprising a sheet or a blanket including a plurality of alternating layers of insulating materials, coated with foil, wherein the multi-layer insulation material is embedded with meta-materials and wherein outer layers of the multi-insulation material comprise of polyimide. A method of manufacturing a meta-material embedded fabric is also disclosed, the method including embedding borophene and hybrids of borophene with a two dimensional (2D) material; integrating borophene or plumbene hybrid flakes under an inert ambience with the 2D material; synthesizing the embedded borophene and hybrids of borophene using a sono-chemical technique; and reducing the synthesized borophene and hybrids of borophene using a blended reaction protocol, thereby forming the meta-material embedded fabric.

A structure formed with a frame structure and a sheet of material configured to reduce sound is wrapped around or otherwise surrounds the frame structure to form a hammock, basket, meditation pod, animal bed, snore reduction unit, wearable enclosure or other small structure, with an inner, sound limited or reduced volume. The sheet of material includes a base layer and at least one layer of sound-absorbing material, at least one layer of sound barrier material, or both, provided on or integral with the base layer. The sound limited or reduced volume includes an opening that may be closed or partially closed with a flap, canopy or hood. The flap, canopy or hood is preferably made of the same material at the sheet of material surrounding the frame.

A curative for epoxidized plant-based oils and epoxidized natural rubber is created from the reaction between a naturally occurring polyfunctional acid and an epoxidized plant-based oil is disclosed. The curative may be used to produce at least one of six different materials, wherein each type of material may be configured as a thermosetting elastomer that is crosslinked with β-hydroxyester linkages. The materials may be configured as a leather-like material, a foam material, a molded elastomer, a coating, an adhesive, and/or a rigid or semi-rigid material. Illustrative articles made from any combination of the six materials may be recycled using a mechano-chemical process to de-crosslink the thermosetting elastomer.

A nanofiber sheet includes: a substrate layer; and a nanofiber layer located on one surface side of the substrate layer and containing nanofibers of a polymer compound. A peripheral edge of the nanofiber layer has a thickness of from 0.1 to 10 μm. The nanofiber layer includes a gradation region having a thickness that gradually increases inward from the peripheral edge. The distance W1 between the peripheral edge of the nanofiber layer and a maximum thickness portion where the thickness becomes the greatest in the gradation region is at least 3 mm. A nanofiber sheet manufacturing method involves depositing nanofibers onto a collecting unit by moving at least either a nozzle or the collecting unit, to thereby manufacture a predetermined nanofiber sheet including a gradation region.

Structurally enhanced preformed layers of multiple rigid unidirectional rods are constructed and arranged for use in fabricating load-bearing support structures and reinforcements in a variety of composite components, e.g. wind turbine blades. Individual preform layers include multiple elongate unidirectional strength elements or rods arranged in a single layer along a longitudinal axis of the preform layer. Individual rods include aligned unidirectional structural fibers embedded within a matrix resin such that the rods have a substantially uniform distribution of fibers and high degree of fiber collimation. The relative straightness of the fibers and fiber collimation provide rods and the preform layers with high rigidity and significant compression strength. A plurality of rods are loosely attached, e.g. knitted, together with a coupling that allows for each rod to be axially displaced, e.g. slideable, relative to another rod.